Your Smile
by freeze1
Summary: Basically, Ranma thinks Akane's half dead, and what happens when he finds out she's alive and well. [RanmaAkane]


Untitled Your Smile 

She stared up at the large door, the creases worn into it from the many times it had been slammed, worn through and through yet still somehow standing. For so long it had just been a room, something she had passed on her way downstairs, something she had regarded as just a regular part of the day. It probably always would be. 

Except what made it regular wasn't the door anymore. The large bangings, the insesent holloring, they all seemed so real to her, even though others would think that whoever was in there was insane. Yet she never noticed it, it seemed to fit. 

And now the room was silent. Like it had been when it was empty before, when it was just a room. But the emptyness seemed to linger, and as though it had nothing else to do, pull at her insides. She shifted uncomforatably, not used to the sound of silence from that room. What had happened? Had it effected him that badly? She remembered it so well… 

"AKANE!!!" She whirled around as she saw a large gush of water come straight at her. Her martial arts skills kicking in, she dodged to the side, landing somewhere soft. Openeing her eyes she looked up into the face of Ranma Saotome, racing with her trying to get away. 

"Thank you Ranma!" She exclaimed, feeling his chest heave in and out as he ran. He didn't answer, but nodded slightly in recognition. He raced away from another jut of water flying at him, the water of the spring of drowned rabbit. 

"You won't get away!" The female voice rang around the room. Finally, it had happened. She had always known it would. Kodachi Kuno had finally gone insane. And it had turned out for the worse. 

"Ranma, let's split up!" He looked down at her, and she felt his muscles stiffening. His gaze was puzzled and decided. 

"But…Akane…" 

"She won't get us as easily," Akane said softly, trying to smile as he dodged again. She watched as he fought an inner battle with himself, and lost. 

"Be careful, okay?" He asked quietly as he put her down. His tone puzzled her as she looked at him, finding his head bended to the ground. Not the usual 'Like you're gonna make it!'. But deciding it wasn't exactly the right time to think about that she quickely dodged a just of water flying at them, sending her and Ranma in different directions. 

She raced over, concentrating on Kodachi's moves. The insane girl whirrled around, cackling her evil cackle. 

"Now I have you!" She cried, sending a gust of water right at her. There was no where to go, no time to dodge. She let out a scream as she felt the water hit her fully, sending her flying. 

"AKANE!!! NO!!!!!" Was the last thing she heard before her world turned black. 

She shook her head. Poor Kodachi, she was all locked up now. She hadn't even thought about it, but she wasn't using the right water. The water was plain, normal tap water. Apparently, Ranma didn't think so. 

The looks on her family's faces had scared her as she walked in, Kasumi holding a nearly dead rabbit in it's arms, tears streaming down her cheeks. She had almost dropped the rabbit with surprise and joy at seeing her sister. 

And now it was time to find Ranma. Kasumi had said he was up in his room, and hadn't come out for some time. It had been a long time, as the blow had knocked her out but done no harm. Ranma had picked up a real rabbit hurt badly by the blast. 

And she was standing infront of his door, hesitant at what she would find as she entered. She bit her lip, and watched the door creak slowly open. 

She couldn't help but gasp at the sight. The room, which was always so dirty and messy, was clean. It looked as though Kasumi had just recently been in. Akane hadn't ever actually seen his room clean, and the sight made her stomache twange a little. It wasn't Ranma, it made her feel kid of depressed. 

That's when she saw him. The rays of the setting sun were pouring in through the window, landing on the neatly made bed where a figure stood. His clothes were wet with tears, his body hunched over, muffled sobs echoing into his hands. 

"K…Kasumi?" He whispered quietly. His voice sounded so weak, as though it was threatening to spill out more tears. "I…I'll skip dinner, okay?" She stared at the figure. Ranma? Was that really Ranma Saotome? 

"I…It's all my fault Kasumi!" He burst out, more tears slipping onto the bedsheet. "Akane's going to die, I just know it! Stuck in the form of a rabbit, and it's all my fault! I'll kill myself, I'm so stupid!" The sobs echoed through the room. "So stupid!" 

Akane stood there in the doorway, dumbfounded. She felt her eyes start to water as she looked at his hunched figure. Ranma Saotome, the proud martial artist, cared. She wanted to say something, something wise and sensitive, but it felt like her mouth was broken. She couldn't think of anything at all. 

"Oh Ranma." 

The sight was taunting him, throwing itself at him. Everytime he shunned it away, it flew back at full force. He knew it was his fault, and he was going to pay. No, that was wrong. She was going to pay. 

He could still see her, her smile beating up at his face. That smile, he had learned, was unlike no other. When Akane smiled, the entire world stood still, music seeming to pour out of nothingness, the sun seeming to shine through the rain. Sure, other people had great smiles. Ukyou, for instance, her smile was really pretty. But Akane's smile was nothing like he had ever seen. And each time he did see it, it melted him in. 

He was a martial artist. Control was everything. And he was falling for a simple smile. Maybe it was because he never had a smile, nothing but a faded memory of a women smiling down at him when he was a baby. His pop was straight as anything, and when he finally saw someone care, just a little bit, just one smile in the world of darkness, it melted him through. 

But that smile had made him make such a mistake. He was wrong to split up with her, he should have just brought her back where she couldn't have been hurt. But he had given in, because of that smile. And now she was downstairs, almost dead. 

The scene haunted him. The scream she let out pierced the air like an arrow, and it seemed his entire body had gone still. When he ran back, he saw the small bunny lying on it's side, breathing heavily. He saw himself pick up the body slowly, hugging it to him. "Oh god," he almost heard himself whisper as the tears started to flow. He heard the door slowly open behind him. 

"K…Kasumi?" He asked quietly, trying to get the words out of his throat. "I…I'll skip dinner, okay?" He heard no reply, just a small silence. He tried to continue. "I…It's all my fault Kasumi! Akane's going to die, I just know it! Stuck in the form of a rabbit, and it's all my fault! I'll kill myself, I'm so stupid! So stupid!" The tears suddenly burst from his face, but he let them fall. Kasumi was like a mother to him, she wouldn't care. 

"Oh Ranma." His world turned still as he heard the voice, that voice he heard so many times in his dreams. Ranma!!! Don't do it!!! It couldn't be. Ranma no baka! It… Ranma, listen. I like you just the way you are. Don't do it, Ranma. Akane. 

He spun around so he could see the figure standing in the doorway. Her hair bounced up like always, the blue-black strands flowing just around her ears. Her cheery cheeks were red, and her small hand was held up to her mouth in surprise. Her figure was leaning against the door, her sparkeling blue eyes breaming with water. 

"Akane." Before he could think twice he had lept off the bed and was racing at the girl. Akane. She opened her arms as he rushed into them, folding his arms around her back, pressing him to her. 

"Oh my god," he whispered. "Oh my god." He pulled her tighter, never wanting to let go as he rested his head over hers, her blue hair fitting right under his chin. He felt her arms tighten around him, and he couldn't help but burst into tears. 

"Oh my god," he whispered again and again. That smile fastened itself in his mind as he held her. He wouldn't let go, he would never let go. He would never let her get away from him again. She would never get hurt, he swore then. He couldn't let that happen. 

It seemed to last forever, Ranma's sobs echoing across the room as he hugged her fiercly. After a while she broke free, his arms still around her as she gazed into his eyes. Slowly she brought a hand up to his face, brushing a new tear off his cheek. At her touch, it seemed his entire body froze. 

That smile. She was smiling at him. Oh god, he would never let that smile go. Never in his life. He would die to have that smile live on. It flashed happily at him as the sun burst into the room, coloring up the white walls. 

"Don't feel bad, Ranma," she said quietly. Her voice. It was like bells chiming through the air. "It wasn't your fault." 

"Yes it was," he answered, realizing that his own voice was horse from the sobs. "I thought you were dead, and that bunny could've been you. It was my fault, Akane." She smiled up at him, making his legs turn to jelly. 

"Thank you Ranma Saotome," she whispered quietly. "Thank you for caring." And then she did something he never expected. 

She leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheeks. Quickly she left the room, jogging down the stairs. Ranma, however, stayed where he was. It was short, fluttery like the wings of a butterfly. But it had sent an electric shock through him as he stood there, her smile, her voice flying through his head. 

Slowly he reached his hand up to touch his cheek, realizing it was burning hot. Akane, he whispered to himself. Thank you. Just one smile from you, and I'll be fine. I never realized it until now, but, you're a really special person Akane. And I love you. 

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